Crain's picks for the week of Dec. 15

"The Nutcracker"50 E. Congress Pkwy.; (312) 902-1500www.joffrey.com7 p.m. Thursday, Friday; 2 p.m., 7 p.m. Saturday, SundayTickets: $25-$100Clara, Fritz, the mouse king and the sugar plum fairy are back in the Joffrey Ballet's lavish and energetic take on the traditional holiday story. This is the Joffrey's 21st year performing this classic, which involves the full company, local children's choirs and more than 120 dancers ages 8 to 14. The Chicago Sinfonietta provides the music at the Auditorium Theatre through Dec. 28. Photo by Herbert Migdoll

FILM

"Polar Express"1200 S. Lake Shore Drive; (312) 939-2438www.sheddaquarium.orgDaily through Jan. 4Cost: $17.95 admission includes movie; $13.95 for childrenSmell the hot cocoa and feel a flurry of snowflakes against your face all from a movie seat. Based on the feature film, this 4-D movie experience at the Shedd Aquarium takes you along for a ride to the North Pole, where a doubting young boy learns to believe. On Saturday, reserve your spot for a special viewing followed by cocoa, cookies, a visit with Santa and craft activities. The 4-D film is shown several times throughout the day.

MUSIC

Daniel Barenboim205 E. Randolph St.; (312) 334-7777www.harristheaterchicago.org7:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets: $68-$120In a rare solo piano recital, renowned conductor Daniel Barenboim takes the stage at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. The honorary conductor for life at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has chosen an all-Liszt program, including transcriptions of three Verdi operas.

Caroling at Cloud GateMillennium Park; (312) 742-1168www.millenniumpark.org6 p.m. Friday. FreeHere's a chance to see something other than tourists snapping photos being reflected in the Cloud Gate. Join other bundled Chicagoans in front of the sculpture for an evening of holiday carols. The Chicago Children's Choir accompanies the crowd in the last caroling session there this holiday season. Photo: Patrick Pyszka

Sister Hazel329 N. Dearborn St.; (312) 559-1212www.ticketmaster.com7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday. Tickets: $25After hitting it big with "All for You," the pop quintet has continued to enjoy a solid grass-roots following. The band plays two nights at the House of Blues.

COMEDY

"Brother, Can You Spare Some Change?"1608 N. Wells St.; (312) 337-3992www.secondcity.com8 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m., 11 p.m. Friday, Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $20-$25Second City e.t.c. moves past national politics and back to the drama of our smaller, individual worlds with its latest revue. Expect the cast to go after Facebook and Chicago-style politics, among other crucial matters.

SHOP

Green City Market2430 Cannon Drive.; (773) 435-0280www.chicagogreencitymarket.org8 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday. FreeThe Green City Market continues indoors for the winter, offering locally farmed, sustainable or organic foods just like in summer. Peruse the fresh produce and other goods at the Peggy Notebaert Museum. Bruce Sherman from North Pond gives a cooking demonstration at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Holiday Storybox927 Noyes St., Evanston; (847) 866-8049www.piventheatre.org1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m., 1 p.m. SundayTickets: $10A single audience suggestion sprouts into a full holiday play in this Piven Theatre production that stars an ensemble of improvisational actors. The performers use only wooden sticks and colored pieces of cloth as they weave their story together.

Winter WonderFest600 E. Grand Ave.; (312) 595-7437www.winterwonderfest.com10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. SundayAdmission: $12-$16 for a wristbandEnjoy ice skating, a winter wind glider and other attractions without having to brave the temperatures. Navy Pier brings the fun inside with a skating rink, a 50-foot Ferris wheel, a winter wind glider that will sweep you into the air, and a reindeer express train. The festival also features a rope obstacle course stretching more than 27 feet into the air, inflatable games and a "spider zone" with five levels of vinyl webbing to climb. Through Jan. 4.

Holiday Sweater Party1925 W. Cortland St.(773) 489-0738www.lottiespub.com8 p.m.-2 a.m. ThursdayIf you have a tacky reindeer sweater hiding in your closet, there's finally a place to wear it. Lottie's Pub in Bucktown offers drink specials and a buffet for those dressed in authentic holiday sweaters. The buffet, filled with traditional holiday food such as cheese logs and fruitcake, is open from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Prizes are awarded for best sweaters.

Winter Flower and Train Show2391 N. Stockton Drive(312) 742-7736www.chicagoparkdistrict.com9 a.m.-5 p.m. dailyFreeThe Lincoln Park Conservatory is the backdrop for a miniature village where old-fashioned steam engines and trolleys travel through a land of red, white and pink poinsettias. Look closely at the buildings in the village, which include the Chicago Theatre, Water Tower Place and Chicago-style homes like the neighborhood bungalow. The winter flower display can be found in the show house at the conservatory through Jan. 4.

"The Nutcracker"50 E. Congress Pkwy.; (312) 902-1500www.joffrey.com7 p.m. Thursday, Friday; 2 p.m., 7 p.m. Saturday, SundayTickets: $25-$100Clara, Fritz, the mouse king and the sugar plum fairy are back in the Joffrey Ballet's lavish and energetic take on the traditional holiday story. This is the Joffrey's 21st year performing this classic, which involves the full company, local children's choirs and more than 120 dancers ages 8 to 14. The Chicago Sinfonietta provides the music at the Auditorium Theatre through Dec. 28. Photo by Herbert Migdoll

FILM

"Polar Express"1200 S. Lake Shore Drive; (312) 939-2438www.sheddaquarium.orgDaily through Jan. 4Cost: $17.95 admission includes movie; $13.95 for childrenSmell the hot cocoa and feel a flurry of snowflakes against your face all from a movie seat. Based on the feature film, this 4-D movie experience at the Shedd Aquarium takes you along for a ride to the North Pole, where a doubting young boy learns to believe. On Saturday, reserve your spot for a special viewing followed by cocoa, cookies, a visit with Santa and craft activities. The 4-D film is shown several times throughout the day.

MUSIC

Daniel Barenboim205 E. Randolph St.; (312) 334-7777www.harristheaterchicago.org7:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets: $68-$120In a rare solo piano recital, renowned conductor Daniel Barenboim takes the stage at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. The honorary conductor for life at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has chosen an all-Liszt program, including transcriptions of three Verdi operas.

Caroling at Cloud GateMillennium Park; (312) 742-1168www.millenniumpark.org6 p.m. Friday. FreeHere's a chance to see something other than tourists snapping photos being reflected in the Cloud Gate. Join other bundled Chicagoans in front of the sculpture for an evening of holiday carols. The Chicago Children's Choir accompanies the crowd in the last caroling session there this holiday season. Photo: Patrick Pyszka

Sister Hazel329 N. Dearborn St.; (312) 559-1212www.ticketmaster.com7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday. Tickets: $25After hitting it big with "All for You," the pop quintet has continued to enjoy a solid grass-roots following. The band plays two nights at the House of Blues.

COMEDY

"Brother, Can You Spare Some Change?"1608 N. Wells St.; (312) 337-3992www.secondcity.com8 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m., 11 p.m. Friday, Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $20-$25Second City e.t.c. moves past national politics and back to the drama of our smaller, individual worlds with its latest revue. Expect the cast to go after Facebook and Chicago-style politics, among other crucial matters.

SHOP

Green City Market2430 Cannon Drive.; (773) 435-0280www.chicagogreencitymarket.org8 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday. FreeThe Green City Market continues indoors for the winter, offering locally farmed, sustainable or organic foods just like in summer. Peruse the fresh produce and other goods at the Peggy Notebaert Museum. Bruce Sherman from North Pond gives a cooking demonstration at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Holiday Storybox927 Noyes St., Evanston; (847) 866-8049www.piventheatre.org1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m., 1 p.m. SundayTickets: $10A single audience suggestion sprouts into a full holiday play in this Piven Theatre production that stars an ensemble of improvisational actors. The performers use only wooden sticks and colored pieces of cloth as they weave their story together.

Winter WonderFest600 E. Grand Ave.; (312) 595-7437www.winterwonderfest.com10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. SundayAdmission: $12-$16 for a wristbandEnjoy ice skating, a winter wind glider and other attractions without having to brave the temperatures. Navy Pier brings the fun inside with a skating rink, a 50-foot Ferris wheel, a winter wind glider that will sweep you into the air, and a reindeer express train. The festival also features a rope obstacle course stretching more than 27 feet into the air, inflatable games and a "spider zone" with five levels of vinyl webbing to climb. Through Jan. 4.

Holiday Sweater Party1925 W. Cortland St.(773) 489-0738www.lottiespub.com8 p.m.-2 a.m. ThursdayIf you have a tacky reindeer sweater hiding in your closet, there's finally a place to wear it. Lottie's Pub in Bucktown offers drink specials and a buffet for those dressed in authentic holiday sweaters. The buffet, filled with traditional holiday food such as cheese logs and fruitcake, is open from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Prizes are awarded for best sweaters.

Winter Flower and Train Show2391 N. Stockton Drive(312) 742-7736www.chicagoparkdistrict.com9 a.m.-5 p.m. dailyFreeThe Lincoln Park Conservatory is the backdrop for a miniature village where old-fashioned steam engines and trolleys travel through a land of red, white and pink poinsettias. Look closely at the buildings in the village, which include the Chicago Theatre, Water Tower Place and Chicago-style homes like the neighborhood bungalow. The winter flower display can be found in the show house at the conservatory through Jan. 4.